In her address, Sandberg said today's young women need to close the ambition gap before they can close the achievement gap. She noted that “In America, as in the entire developed world, we are equals under the law. But the promise of equality is not equality. As we sit here looking at this magnificent blue-robed class, we have to admit something that’s sad but true: men run the world.”
She also pointed out that women are nowhere close to 50% of the jobs at the top and that when the big decisions in business are made, women do not have an equal voice at that table. Sandberg added that she believes that only when women get real equality in our governments, in our businesses, in our companies and our universities, will we start to solve this generation’s central moral problem of gender equality. Sandberg was adamant in that America e needs women at all levels to change the dynamic and reshape the conversation so that women’s voices are not overlooked and ignored.
In the way of advice to the female grads, Sandberg said “The first thing is I encourage you to think big, the next step is you’re going to have to believe in yourself potentially more than you do today.” Her comment was based on the fact that studies have shown that compared to men, women underestimate their performance far more often. She pointed out “I am suggesting that believing in yourself is the first necessary step to coming even close to achieving your potential.” Sandberg claims that success and likeability are positively correlated for men and negatively correlated for women. The result is that as men get more successful and powerful, both men and women like them better. As women get more powerful and successful, it appears everyone, including women, likes them less.
In conclusion, Sandberg admonished the class of 2011 to think big and to own their own success, adding “You’re going to walk off this stage today and you’re going to start your adult life. Start out by aiming high. Like everyone here, I have great hopes for the members of this graduating class. I hope you find true meaning, contentment and passion in your life. I hope that you navigate the hard times and you come out with greater strength and resolve. I hope that whatever balance you seek, you find it with your eyes wide open. And I hope that you—yes, you—each and every one of you have the ambition to run the world, because this world needs you to run it. Women all around the world are counting on you. I’m counting on you.”
The Top 20 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2010 -
* (According to FORTUNE Magazine’s annual ranking of America's leading businesswomen)
Rank Name Company
1 Indra Nooyi PepsiCo
2 Irene Rosenfeld Kraft Foods
3 Patricia Woertz Archer Daniels Midland
4 Angela Braly WellPoint
5 Andrea Jung Avon Products
6 Oprah Winfrey Harpo and OWN
7 Ellen Kullman DuPont
8 Ginni Rometty IBM
9 Ursula Burns Xerox
10 Carol Bartz Yahoo
11 Safra Catz Oracle
12 Sherilyn McCoy Johnson & Johnson
13 Melanie Healey Procter & Gamble
14 Ann Livermore Hewlett-Packard
15 Anne Sweeney Walt Disney
16 Sheryl Sandberg Facebook
17 Carol Meyrowitz TJX Cos.
18 Judy McGrath Viacom
19 Barbara Desoer Bank of America
20 Charlene Begley GE